Family still searching for missing Labrador

Young, black, mixed-breed female jumped out of yard in South Bend.

Young, black, mixed-breed female jumped out of yard in South Bend.

December 12, 2007|KIRBY SPROULS Tribune Staff Writer

George Freeman has always been able to help when daughter Sarah's been brokenhearted. Until now. George feels helpless because he hasn't found Waggs, a missing 1 1/2-year-old dog who belongs to his daughter and her fiancé, Zachary Fritz. The family has scoured south-side neighborhoods, posted more than 2,000 "missing dog" fliers and called every area animal shelter, to no avail. "It's killing me," he said. "I have always been able to fix things for Sarah, but not this time. And I know how bad she feels." Waggs, a Labrador mix, was visiting from Indianapolis with Sarah and Zachary when he got loose Thanksgiving morning outside George and Terri Freeman's home in the 1500 block of Glenlake Drive, in the Broadmoor neighborhood. She jumped a chain-link fence from an elevated deck and disappeared. The family spent much of that holiday and the remainder of the weekend looking for Waggs. Sarah even took off work the following Monday to continue the futile search before returning, disappointed, to Indianapolis. Waggs is microchipped and was wearing a pink collar containing identification. She has a black, medium-length coat, weighs about 40 pounds and stands a little over a foot tall. About the only distinguishing mark is her spotted tongue, George said. Sarah and Zachary are both 2000 graduates of Riley High School who are now living and working in Indianapolis. "She's our daughter, as dorky as that sounds," Sarah, 25, said of Waggs. "She's a member of the family." George said Waggs has led "a charmed life ... never has a dog been so cared for and loved." The family has received some calls of possible sightings, but all turned out to be dead-ends. Still, George has been amazed by those offering assistance. "I can't believe how many people have tried to help -- it's meant a lot to us," he said. The family is offering a reward of $1,500 for Waggs. Anyone with information is asked to call George at (574) 274-6472.Staff writer Kirby Sprouls: ksprouls@sbtinfo.com (574) 235-6233